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Tuesday,17-June-2025
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Maharashtra

Sufi Board Wants Waqf To Be Transferred To Home Department For Protecting Properties Against Encroachments

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Sufi Board Wants Waqf To Be Transferred To Home Department For Protecting Properties Against Encroachments

Mumbai: Even as Minister for Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju introduced The Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024 and proposed sending it to a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) after opposition parties objected to its provision, one major group representing Sufi Muslims has supported the bill.

Mansoor Khan, National President of the Sufi Islamic Board, said they had sent recommendations to the Government of India, including the idea that the Waqf Act should be removed from the jurisdiction of the Minority Ministry and brought under the Home Ministry.

“This is because the Minority Ministry neither prevents encroachments nor takes any action against them as it lacks the necessary powers. My recommendation was that if the Home Ministry or any other ministry with prosecution powers takes it under its wing, we can get rid of the illegal encroachments on Waqf properties that have been there for 70 years,” said Khan

Khan said that the law did not concern just Muslims but members of other religious groups as the Islamic concept defined by Prophet Muhammad, the founder of Islam, emphasises the rights of neighbors. “He taught us to take care of one’s neighbors. If we look at it this way, these properties intended for public welfare should be used for the benefit of all humanity.” Sufi is a sect of Islam that incorporates worship at tombs of saints, singing, and rituals. They claim to form a majority of the population.

According to Khan, if the Home Ministry or the state administration takes charge of Waqf properties, the police and District Collector can take action against encroachments, ensuring that the properties are not illegally occupied in the future.

The amended bill provides for a recomposition of the Central Waqf Council and the state Waqf boards to ensure the representation of Muslim women and non-Muslims in such bodies. The bill also proposes the establishment of a separate board for Shia subjects like Bohras and Agakhanis. Currently, only the mainstream Shia community has Waqf boards in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

Significantly, the bill omits section 40 which relates to the powers of the Waqf board to decide if a property is Waqf. There have been allegations that land and properties have been arbitrarily declared Waqf.

Members of the opposition have criticised the provisions in the bill. AIMIM Member of Parliament Asaduddin Owaisi said, “This Bill has been brought on the basis of the government’s hatred for the Muslim community and to reward those who have encroached upon Waqf properties. To say that it has been sent to JPC is fine, but it is no such success.”

However, the Sufi Islamic Board said they will not oppose the bill. “As we mentioned, it is being done for Muslim welfare. Tell us one thing that the Waqf Board has achieved for Muslims in the past 70 years. The BJP is a political party, just like Congress, and everyone has their own opinion. What does voting for the BJP or any other party matter in this?” asked Khan.

Maharashtra

Mumbai: Despite heavy rains, the threat of water shortage persists in Mumbai

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Mumbai: Despite heavy rains, the threat of water shortage persists in Mumbai. Now only 8.60 percent water is left in the lakes supplying water to Mumbai, so the administration has appealed not to waste water. It has been raining continuously in the city for the last two days. 86 mm of rain has been recorded in Kalabhata, Mumbai and 100 mm in Santacruz. Due to rain, the water level of Madhya Veternah has increased. Due to two days of rain, the water level of the lakes has increased, but there is still a threat of water shortage. Yellow and red alerts were issued due to rain in Palghar and Raigad of Mumbai, but today the rain stopped.

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Maharashtra

BMC orders strict action against those who dump industrial waste and garbage in drains, first case registered

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Mumbai: Mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has now started strict action by registering a case against the factory owners and the concerned person who throw garbage and waste in the drains. Now throwing garbage in the drains is a crime and those who throw company’s garbage or waste in the drains without any reason will not be spared. In this case, BMC has registered the first case in Dharavi and the search for the unknown accused is on. Despite regular cleaning of drains in many areas of Mumbai, garbage is being dumped again. Mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has started strict action against those who throw industrial waste and garbage in the drains in the backdrop of monsoon season.

Due to which there is a danger of blockage of drains, due to which the problem of waterlogging is increasing in the city. After cleaning the T-junction drain in Dharavi, it was found that a large amount of industrial waste has been dumped in it. Under monsoon works, work is being done to remove garbage from the rivers and drains of Mumbai Metropolitan Area. The work of removing garbage is going on in a planned manner and Artificial Intelligence (AI) system is being used for this work. Artificial Intelligence is helping a lot in increasing the effectiveness and transparency in the garbage removal work. Along with this, senior officials of Mumbai Municipal Corporation are directly visiting and inspecting the work of garbage removal from drains in the city, eastern suburbs and western suburbs. Apart from this, they are giving instructions to do the drain cleaning work properly.

Although the work of removing garbage from big and small drains has been completed, the drains have to be cleaned repeatedly due to the accumulation of floating garbage with the tide. The Solid Waste Management Department, Storm Water Drainage Department of Mumbai Municipal Corporation is working tirelessly. The work of removing garbage from drains and removing garbage is going on regularly. The Municipal Administration is taking many steps to prevent garbage from going into the drains. The Municipal Administration has laid nets at some places on an experimental basis to prevent garbage from going into the drains. However, various types of floating materials like thermocol, plastic bags, furniture, rubber, wrappers are being thrown into the drains by some individuals / establishments. Due to which the movement and drainage of sewage is being obstructed.

The Municipal Corporation recently cleaned the drain leading to the T-junction in Dharavi. Along with removing the garbage, floating objects were also removed. However, on Monday, June 16, 2025, when the officials of the North Zone Solid Waste Management Department inspected the drain, they found that unknown persons had thrown various industrial items like thermocol, rubber, wrappers, parcel boxes etc. into the drain. Taking serious cognizance of this and as per the instructions of the seniors, a complaint has been lodged at the Sahu Nagar Police Station. This act of obstructing the cleaning work of the drain is serious and is creating difficulties in disaster management. In this regard, a case has been registered against the accused under Section 326 (A) of the Indian Penal Code, 2023.

The police is searching for the concerned person / establishment. Citizens should not throw plastic bags, bottles, thermocol and other similar garbage in drains or sewers, so that the garbage does not get stuck and the drains do not get clogged and the water keeps flowing fast. Residents and citizens living near the drain should not throw any garbage directly in the drain with the Mumbai Municipal Corporation. Garbage should be thrown only in the garbage dump. The Mumbai Municipal Corporation administration is making a humble appeal to the citizens to cooperate with the Municipal Corporation administration.

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Maharashtra

Nitesh Rane criticized Uddhav

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Mumbai: Maharashtra minister Nitesh Rane criticized Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and said that Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray should be asked what is Aghori Puja, he is an expert in it, what is buried in his bungalow in Karjat, as well as what happens in Matoshree, should also be found out. He strongly criticized Uddhav and also called him Aghori CM. Nitesh Rane has claimed to ensure maritime security and patrol the sea with sea boats and modern boats.

He said that maritime security will be done on priority basis. So far, modern boats have been deployed to protect the sea coast and five boats have been added. Along with this, the sea is also being protected with CCTV cameras and drones. The process of monitoring illegal activities and suspicious persons is also going on. Necessary instructions have also been issued to keep the sea safe.

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